Distinguished Alumni Awards

The Linda Duttenhaver Distinguished Alumni AwardEstablished in 2014 and named in honor of UCEAP alumna Linda Duttenhaver, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor that UCEAP bestows upon an outstanding alumna or alumnus. The award salutes the achievements of alumni who have demonstrated a record of distinguished service and extraordinary achievement in a particular discipline or organization. The awardee will have made a positive impact on our global community and be an inspiration to current students and alumni.

The UCEAP Emerging Leader AwardEach year, UCEAP recognizes one individual to receive the Emerging Leader Award. This award recognizes an outstanding UCEAP alumnus or alumna who has graduated within the past 15 years and has a record of extraordinary service and achievement. The same criteria and process for nomination applies to this award as to the Linda Duttenhaver Distinguished Alumni Award.

Purpose of AwardsThe award will also augment alumni engagement efforts by involving alumni in the nomination process and honoring outstanding achievements on an annual basis. The selection announcement will raise the profile of the alumna or alumnus selected as well as highlight the impact of study abroad on an individual’s personal and career success. Nominees will be encouraged to stay involved with UCEAP through opportunities to mentor students, network, and support scholarships. In recognizing the achievements of the selected alumna or alumnus on our web site and in other materials, the awardee will serve as an example to current and future students and emphasize the value of study abroad.

Eligible NomineesALL UCEAP alumni are eligible for consideration of the award. For the purpose of this award, alumni is defined as having completed a UCEAP program.

Method of NominationAlumni, faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate deserving alumni for this award. Nomination are submitted using our online Alumni Awards Nomination Form. Once nominated, the individual’s name remains in nomination for a total of three years. To be considered for this cycle, nominations must be received by March 15. All entries received after the deadline will be considered active for the next three years.

Method of Recipient SelectionA selection committee will be formed to review, rank and select individuals from the eligible nominations. The selection committee will include representation from the UCEAP systemwide office, UCEAP faculty and study center staff, campus UCEAP staff and previous award recipients.

ConfidentialityNominations shall be held in confidence (with the exception of the committee). To affirm the integrity of the process, it is recommended that committee members refrain from sharing or comparing one another’s rankings. Any additional research on the nominees shall be conducted by the UCEAP Alumni Engagement and Development unit.

Announcement and RecognitionFollowing the selection of the recipient in May, a public announcement will be made. The awards are presented at the annual UCEAP conference in June. A travel stipend will be available to encourage recipients to attend. While attendance at the annual UCEAP conference is not required to accept the award, attendance is highly encouraged. If the selected nominee expresses a willingness to accept the award but may not be able to attend in the current year, they may be considered for a future year without any further approval from the selection committee.